The Department of Governance and Leadership (DGL) was established as a department under the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) in 2013. The programs were initially under the Faculty of Flexible Learning which was abolished in December 2012. All programs offered under DGL are through flexible learning (FL) mode and are specifically targeted at the workforce of PNG. Most students enrolled in these programs are adult working students who are required to attend a two-week residential session every semester for the two years duration of their studies.

The department is committed to the Arts Faculty vision by ensuring it is in the business of producing quality working adult graduates for the workforce in Papua New Guinea in the twenty-first century. The programs are designed to equip and develop knowledge and competencies of public servants in the broad areas of public sector governance, leadership and management in order for them to deal with issues in contemporary PNG workplaces. The fast evolving workplaces in PNG are increasingly exposed to new challenges from the context of globalization and international benchmarking and best practices, which gives the department the greatest challenge to come up with best formal training and education for adult working students which are also based on ethical and Christian values.